The Dallas Stars face the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center in a key NHL matchup. With the Stars holding a strong 23-7-5 record and the Ducks at 20-12-2, both teams have released their expected lineups ahead of the 10 p.m. ET puck drop. Casey DeSmith is set to start in net for Dallas following their recent win.
The Dallas Stars (23-7-5) travel to take on the Anaheim Ducks (20-12-2) at the Honda Center on Friday, December 19, 2025, with the game starting at 10 p.m. ET on FDSNW, Victory+, and KCOP-13. These projected lineups, sourced from NHL.com staff writers and independent correspondents, provide insight into how each team plans to approach the contest.
For the Stars, the forward lines are expected to feature Sam Steel alongside Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen on the first line, followed by Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Jamie Benn on the second. The third line includes Justin Hryckowian, Matt Duchene, and Mavrik Bourque, while Oskar Back, Radek Faksa, and Colin Blackwell round out the fourth. On defense, pairings are Esa Lindell with Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley with Alex Petrovic, and Nils Lundkvist with Ilya Lybushkin. Casey DeSmith is projected to start in goal, backed up by Jake Oettinger, after Oettinger made 34 saves in their 5-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
The Stars skipped a morning skate after that win. Scratches include Nathan Bastian, Kyle Capobianco, and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Injuries sidelining players are Tyler Seguin (ACL), Adam Erne (lower body), and Lian Bichsel (lower body). Coach Glen Gulutzan noted on Wednesday that Erne, who has missed the past 18 games, could return during this two-day road trip ending in Anaheim.
The Ducks' projected forwards start with Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Alex Killorn, then Chris Kreider, Mason McTavish, and Beckett Sennecke. Frank Vatrano, Mikael Granlund, and Troy Terry form the third line, with Ross Johnston, Ryan Poehling, and Ryan Strome on the fourth. Defensively, Jackson LaCombe pairs with Jacob Trouba, Pavel Mintyukov with Radko Gudas, and Ian Moore with Drew Helleson. Lukas Dostal starts in net, with Petr Mrazek as backup after missing nine games due to a lower-body injury.
Scratches for Anaheim are Nikita Nesterenko, Jansen Harkins, and Olen Zellweger, who is a healthy scratch for the first time this season. No injuries are reported for the Ducks. They returned goalie Ville Husso to the AHL's San Diego team on Thursday.
